STA Blog

My parents were great believers in education, probably spending more money than they could really afford on schools and courses for their children; not just academic things, but also art, music and sports. I realise I was very lucky and privileged, and the curiosity this generated in me has led me down all sorts of interesting paths. One of these was technical analysis, which I started learning with my job at a small investment bank in 1982. My motto: if you want to learn/do something, do it properly.

Since then things have moved on apace, most recently with the advent of the internet and video conferencing, as Axel reminded me. To this end the Society of Technical Analysts (STA) has been running their Diploma Course (Part 1 and 2) for nearly 25 years, and subsequently their Home Study Course, giving students a really solid grounding in the subject.

Being a contrarian, I asked Axel why students should choose the STA. He answered: ‘’because it is unbiased, independent and the oldest in the world. It is a not-for profit organisation which is the gold standard in this field.’’ I know for a fact that it has taught thousands of pupils worldwide (many of whom are current STA members), who relish the opportunity to learn from industry professionals (not just academics) like traders, fund managers and authors who have an in-depth knowledge of the subject and its practical applications. Funnily enough the students too come from all walks of life, both amateurs and industry related, from major investment banks, energy and utility companies, big media outlets and government entities including the Bank of England.

Passing the Part 2 written exam entitles one to use the initials MSTA (Member of the Society of Technical Analysts) after one’s name, which is equivalent to IFTA’s (International Federation of Technical Analysts) CFTe badge. The Diploma is accredited by CISI, gives exemptions to some of their exams, while STA courses accumulate CPD (Continuous Professional Development) points, something useful for business professionals.

Things that didn’t exist when I sat the Diploma Part 2 exam:

An introductory video meeting for new students to meet each other and their lecturers.
A web-based student forum for year-round queries and access to previous questions.
Videos of all the lectures, plus sample questions and model answers on each of these units.
A WhatsApp group for students – available for the duration of their course(s)!

Visit our education pages for more details on our courses.